When the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s won their respective Division West Titles earlier this month, bay area fans anticipated a thrilling showdown between the two local teams.
Alas, it was not to be. The A’s were knocked out by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the playoffs. But the Giants, oh the Giants! They won six (count them, six!) elimination games to reach the World Series. And they are playing the Detroit Tigers to reach the pinnacle of baseball.
Many local community college students are avid baseball fans. “I sense redemption in the air,” says Ray. “I am a diehard A’s fan but if the Giants can beat the team that beat my beloved A’s, I will be happy. Others may see the glass as half-empty but I see it as half-full because the Giants are in the World Series. “
Jason sees it as a sure thing that the Giants will win the World Series against the Tigers in 6 games or less. “The AT&T Park has a huge effect on the way they perform. The whole team is operating as a single well-oiled machine and nothing and no one can stop them. Besides, they are playing the last two games right here in San Francisco. Even if they stumble in Detroit, Giants will find a way to win the series. My only concern is that I may have to skip classes to attend the ceremony in downtown San Francisco! Why can’t they have it during the weekend?”
Jeremy is also convinced that the Giants will win. “They are the comeback kings, unstoppable. It’s like 2010 all over again, only better by the way they came back after being on the brink.”
Joe, however, isn’t so sure. In fact, he thinks Detroit is the better team. “Any team that can sweep the Yankees can do it all. They have more depth. Their batting and pitching are superior. I will really be surprised if they lose the World Series.”
Charlotte was sure that the Tigers would blow the first game because of the relative long layoff. “A rusty team almost always loses the opener. I don’t think it’s a sure thing that the Giants will win the Series but they clearly have the momentum. I think the Giants will win it at home in 7 games.”
Tony is going with the SF Giants as well. “Detroit is a great team but I give the Giants a 60/40 chance of winning. Coming back from two heart-stoppers has given the Giants an advantage that is beyond statistical calculations. It is these intangibles that will see them through.”
Nick is blown away by the character of the SF Giants. “What they have accomplished so far shows how much they believe in one another and how they sacrifice for the better of the team. They all want the same goal and that’s to win a World Series. I think the Giants will win in 6 games. Buster Posey will hit 10-27, and Marco Scutaro will go 13-28 at the plate. Justin Verlander (ace pitcher of the Tigers) cannot contain the SF hitters and the Giants’ pitchers won't allow more than 2 runs a game.” (Nick made his predictions before game 1).
Major League Baseball releases statistics based on historical data that assigns probabilities to how a 7-game series can play out. For a 4-0 sweep, the probability is 12.5%. For 4-1, the probability is 25%. For 4-2 and 4-3, the probabilities are the same at approximately 31%. Whether these statistics will have to be adjusted after the 2012 World Series remains to be seen.
As the Presidential election enters its last days, bay area residents are experiencing an additional dose of thrill. “There’s a reason why the SF Giants were able to claw their way back to the World Series,” says Patrick. “So they can win the whole thing!”
